Transferring a domain

When you transfer a domain, management of the domain moves to Shopify. Transferring your domain lets you adjust your domain settings, pay for your domain, and renew your domain directly in your Shopify admin.

Shopify doesn't provide email accounts as part of its domain services, but does provide unlimited email forwarding accounts for your domain name. If your third-party domain provider includes email hosting on the domain, then you can set up email forwarding to a third-party email hosting service after you transfer your domain to Shopify. If you want to keep your existing email hosting service, then consider connecting your third-party domain to Shopify.

Your domain must meet certain eligibility requirements to transfer in to Shopify. You also need to have access to your original domain provider account and email address, and respond to confirmation emails to complete the transfer process.

When you transfer a domain to Shopify, you pay to register your domain for another 12 months. For example, if you still have 3 months until your domain expires when you transfer your domain to Shopify, then you won't need to renew your domain again for 15 months.

Considerations for transferring a domain to Shopify

Consider the following requirements when transferring a domain to Shopify:

• You need to have registered your domain more than 60 days ago.
• You will need to wait up to 20 days from the time of initiation until the transfer is complete.
• Your domain must be eligible for transfer. Most domains can be transferred in to Shopify, but some domains, such as .ca domains, are not eligible.
• You need to have access to your original domain provider account and its associated email account.
• You will need to monitor and respond to confirmation emails to complete the transfer process.
• You will need to pay to register your domain for another 12 months. The 12 months are added on to your domain's current expiry date.
• You will need to use a third-party email hosting service with email forwarding from Shopify. Shopify does not provide email hosting services, but does provide unlimited email forwarding accounts.

Step 1: Check your domain provider's transfer policy

Most providers support domain transfers. Before you begin the transfer process, check your domain provider's transfer policy.

The easiest way to find this is to search in the domain provider's help center for transfer domain. Here are transfer policies for some popular domain providers:

• Bluehost
• Godaddy
• Google Domains
• Namecheap

Step 2: Prepare your domain for transfer

Before you can transfer your domain to Shopify, you need to prepare it to be transferred.

Steps:

1. Log in to your third-party domain provider account.
2. Confirm that the email associated with your account is up-to-date. During the domain transfer process you'll receive emails to this account that you need to respond to. If your current email address is connected to your domain, it will be disabled during the transfer.
3. Unlock the domain that you want to transfer. Typically, this will involve finding the settings for the domain that you want to transfer, then clicking Unlock. Some domain providers require you to approve this choice by clicking on a link in a confirmation email.
4. Get a transfer authorization code from your provider. Typically, this involves finding the settings for the domain that you want to transfer, then clicking Transfer this domain or Transfer out.

Step 3: Transfer your domain

Before you transfer your domain, your domain needs to be unlocked and you need to have a transfer authorization code. If you don't have a transfer authorization code yet, then follow the steps in Prepare your domain for transfer.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, click Online Store > Domains.
2. Click Connect existing domain.
3. On the Connect existing domain page, click transfer in your domain.
4. In the Transfer domain dialog box, enter the domain that you want to transfer to Shopify. Do not include www. at the beginning of the domain.
5. Click Next.
6. Click Verify domain.
7. If the domain is ready to be transferred, then you are presented with DOMAIN UNLOCKED. Click Next to continue. If you are presented with DOMAIN LOCKED, then make sure you've prepared your domain for transfer.
8. In the Verification code box, enter the authorization code, or EPP code, that your domain provider gave you.
9. Click Next.
10. Click Buy and transfer.
11. Check the email account associated with your domain. Depending on your domain provider, you might have an email asking you to confirm these changes. The email varies, but you need to approve the domain transfer by clicking a link such as Confirm Transfer or Approve Transfer.

After you approve the domain transfer, it can take up to 20 days for the transfer to be completed. You'll receive an email from Shopify confirming that your domain has been transferred.

Frequently asked questions

• Is my domain eligible for transfer?
• Why am I seeing the domain not found error?
• How do I unlock my domain?
• How do I get an authorization code?
• I received an email about data use consent preferences. What does the email mean?
• Will my domain continue to work during the transfer?
• How will I know when my domain transfer worked?
• After I transfer my domain, will I still need to use my original domain provider for anything?
• When I transfer my domain to Shopify, what happens to my email hosting with my third-party domain provider?

Is my domain eligible for transfer?

Most domains can be transferred to Shopify. Some domains, such as .ca domains, are not eligible. To find out whether your domain is eligible for transfer, complete the following steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, click Online Store > Domains.
2. Click Connect existing domain.
3. On the Connect existing domain page, click transfer in your domain.
4. In the Transfer domain dialog box, enter the domain that you want to transfer to Shopify. Do not include www. at the beginning of the domain.
5. Click Next.

If the domain is not eligible for transfer, then a banner will state that your domain extension is not currently supported.

Why am I seeing the domain not found error?

You can only transfer domains that you already own. If you don't own the domain that you want to transfer and it's available for registration, then you can buy it. If you do own the domain, then make sure that you have entered your domain name correctly and haven't included www. at the beginning.

How do I unlock my domain?

Before you can transfer your domain to Shopify, you need to unlock your domain through your third-party domain provider. Typically, unlocking your domain involves logging in to your third-party domain provider account, finding the settings for the domain that you want to transfer, and then clicking unlock. Some domain providers might require you to approve this choice by clicking on a link in a confirmation email.

The domain unlocking process varies by third-party provider. If you're having trouble unlocking your domain, then contact your third-party domain provider. Shopify Support can't log in to your third-party domain account for you, even if you give your explicit permission.

How do I get an authorization code?

Before you can transfer your domain to Shopify, you need to get a transfer authorization code from your third-party domain provider. Typically, getting a transfer authorization code involves logging in to your third-party domain provider account, finding the settings for the domain that you want to transfer, and then clicking Transfer this domain or Transfer out.

If you're having trouble getting a transfer authorization code, then contact your third-party domain provider. Shopify Support can't log in to your third-party domain account for you, even if you give your explicit permission.

I received an email about data use consent preferences. What does the email mean?

After you complete your domain transfer, you'll receive an email with the subject-line Set your data use consent preferences. The email will contain a link that brings you to Tucows Inc's Data Use Consent Settings. Tucows is the parent company of OpenSRS, the service that Shopify uses to resell domains to merchants. Giving consent is optional, and you can withdraw it at any time.

Will my domain continue to work during the transfer?

Yes. Your domain will continue to work during the transfer process. For example, if your domain is already connected to your Shopify store and now you are transferring the domain to Shopify, then customers won't notice any difference when visiting your website using your domain name.

How will I know when my domain transfer worked?

You'll receive an email letting you know whether or not your domain transfer is successful. The transfer process can take up to 20 days from the time that you initiate the transfer. If the domain transfer isn't successful, then you'll be refunded the 1-year renewal charge.

After I transfer my domain, will I still need to use my original domain provider for anything?

No. Once the transfer is complete, you no longer need to use the third-party domain service where you originally bought the domain. All your domain management is done through your Shopify admin Domains page.

When I transfer my domain to Shopify, will I still have email hosting with my third-party domain provider?

No. Shopify doesn't provide email hosting as part of its domain services, but does provide unlimited email forwarding accounts for your domain name. If your third-party domain provider includes email hosting on the domain, then this service doesn't transfer to Shopify. You can set up email forwarding to a third-party email hosting service after you transfer your domain to Shopify. If you want to keep your existing email hosting service, then consider connecting your third-party domain to Shopify.